EnglandGentle Giant

Artist rating: 76.05 % (ranking: not set)
Highest rating: 76.74 % (1973)
Most recent trend: 66.03 % (1976)
Highest trend: 81.13 % (1972)

Works
Tracks (A-Ö)

Statistics

Data

Formed: 1970
Disbanded: 1980

Existed for 10 years
 

External links

Genres

Members

Gary Green, Kerry Minnear, Malcolm Mortimore, Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman, Martin Smith, John Weathers
1971
85.67 %
1972
78.68 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1973
70.18 %
1974
70.50 %

Octopus

Gentle Giant - Octopus
80.50 %
(2019-07-31)
Date released: 1972-12-01
Type: studio

In collection: CD (2003-11-14)
Average track length: 04:19
Average track rating:

Ranking

Gentle Giant:
2
/
8
Year (1972):
7
/
49
Decade (1970's):
56
/
597
Overall:
238
/
2711

Tracks

Credits

Band members

2Gary Green (22)
electric guitar (1, 3-5, 8), percussion
2Kerry Minnear (24)
piano (1-5, 7, 8), Hammond organ (1-5, 7, 8), Minimoog (1, 3, 5, 8), electric piano (2, 4, 8), Mellotron (2, 7, 8), Clavinet (1), harpsichord (4), regal (6), vibraphone (4, 8), cello (2, 6), percussion, lead vocals (1, 4, 7), backing vocals
17Derek Shulman (25)
lead vocals (1-4, 8), alto saxophone (5)
17Phil Shulman (35)
trumpet (1, 2), tenor saxophone (4, 5), mellophone (7), lead vocals (1, 4, 6, 8), backing vocals
17Ray Shulman (22)
bass guitar, violin (2, 5, 6), viola (6), electric violin (4, 8), acoustic guitar (6), percussion, backing vocals
13John Weathers (25)
drums (1-5, 7, 8), bongos (3, 8), varispeed cymbal (4, 8), xylophone (4, 6)

Producers

Cover art

Lyrics

The Advent of Panurge
04:43
There coming over Charaton Bridge
Look do you see the man who is poor but rich.
What do you wish; and where do you go;
Who are you; where are you from:
will you tell me your name?
Rest awhile; call me your friend.
Please stay with me I'd like to help.
Then he said,
How can I speak when I'm dry and my
throat is burning. So bring me aid
and I'll answer your doubts.
Friend in need I'd like your help
Please take me home I'll stay with you.
Then said he fair Pantagruel
My name is Panurge and I have come from Hell.
Look at my friend
Look all around you
Look at my friend
Take all round you.
Hey, Friend
(Improvised foreign words in middle section)
So brotherhood was made as their bond
Carried him home and provide for his needs
and his shelter; this day was done
as no other the like.
Faithfully their vow was made and from
that day they were as one.
Raconteur, Troubadour
04:04
Gather round the village square
Come good people both wretched and fair.
See the troubadour play on the drum
Hear my songs on the lute that I strum.
I will make you laugh,
Revel, Merry-dance.
Throw your pennies, then you'll hear more of
the story-telling half.
There's no other chance,
Always move on
Raconteur, troubadour.
Take the face that you see for the man,
Clown and minstrel, I am what I am.
All my family, not of my kin.
Home, wherever, the place that I'm in.
Humors give me wage,
Favors for my art.
Rising, falling
Everyone struggle on.
All the world's a stage
All can play their part.
I have chosen
Raconteur, troubadour.
Dusk is drawing my story is spun,
Dawn is falling my day's work is done.
Morning, rested I set on my way.
Find new faces to offer my play.
I will make you laugh,
Revel, Merry-dance.
Throw your pennies, then you'll hear more of
The story-telling half.
There's no other chance.
Always move on
Raconteur-Troubadour.
A Cry for Everyone
04:06
Run, why should I run away
When at the end the only truth certain -
One day everyone dies -
If only to justify life.
Live, I've lived a thousand lives;
And anyone is the right, the just life.
If I could cry, I'd cry for everyone.
Doubts, no doubt, is all I know.
There is no fate, there's no luck, what does that show.
Showing is proof, but proving is nothing but fear.
If I could cry, I'd cry then for everyone.
Hope, I've hoped two thousand years,
but no one hears, so I've cried, crying vain tears.
Always too late, too late to cry, cry for everyone.
Knots
04:12
All in all each man in all men
All men in each man.
He can see she can't, she can see she can
see whatever, whatever.
You may know what I don't know, but not that
I don't know it and I can't tell you so you will.
To tell me all man in all men
All men in each man.
He can see she can't, she can see she can
see whatever, whatever.
You may know what I don't know, but not that
I don't know it and I can't tell you
so you will have to tell me all.
It hurts him to think that she is
hurting her by him being hurt to think
that she thinks he is hurt by making her
feel guilty at hurting him by her thinking
she wants him to want her. Her wants her to
want him to get him to want him to get
him to want her she pretends.
He tries to make her afraid by not
being afraid. (permutations)
You may know what I don't know, but not
that I don't know it and I can't
tell you so you will have to tell me all.
I get what I deserve. I deserve what I
get. I have it so I deserve it. I deserve
it for I have it. I get what I deserve.
What I deserve - what I deserve what I get.
I have it so I deserve.
He tries to make her afraid by not being afraid.
The Boys in the Band
04:36
instrumental
Dog's Life
03:14
Shuffling down the street with his sideways feet,
Stopping now and then and he'll stop again,
No doubt in his mind where he's going.
He doesn't care for his hair or his teeth
And if the truth were known he's a bit of a thief,
Innocently lies, and it's showing.
Who'd imagine he's man's best friend.
Knowing he's your friend in the end.
Won't be around when you shout or swear
Not very sorry, he doesn't care;
God knows why we call him old faithful.
Pat him on the head, give the dog a bone;
Use a friendly tone, he won't leave you alone.
No one understands like old faithful.
Early rise. Is it wise?
Wonders happen now and then.
Eats his fill, time to kill,
Then goes back to sleep again.
Trusty slave, bold and brave,
And he roars like a lion
But in fact, it's an act,
And the truth is that he isn't
No one understands it's a dog's life.
Chases dreams, so it seems
He shines in his master's light.
Looking good, so he should
For the choice is very narrow
No one understands it's a dog's life.
Think of Me with Kindness
03:35
Why am I using words, no more to say without you
Close the door, put out the lights and go.
Late in the night, in the night your shadow falls between us.
Nevermore, never know.
There, memories are sorrow,
When there's no tomorrow.
Sleep while the sweet sorrow wakes my daydream;
Sleep while you think of me with kindness,
Please remember former days.
Sweet the song that once we sang, the silent parting ways.
And you know, and you know,
And you know, long ago when first we made our promise -
Empty words, I wonder did you know -
The laugh that love could not forgive,
Is gone and tells no more to live,
And we who look in beauty's love;
Must now, through all, look back on before -
The tears that I first cried, no more;
Your love has come and gone, no more.
And we who look in beauty's love
Must now through all think back on before.
Sleep while the sweet sorrow wakes my daydream
Sleep while you think of me with kindness,
Please remember former days.
And you know, and you know.
And you know, when we two parted in tears and silence
Past the days, the parting ways.
Fare thee well, fare thee well,
You that was once dear to me.
Think of me with kindness
Think of me.
River
05:59
Touching the last of what is past
Moving silent water fell the first that comes.
Slow and winding, flowing free
Peaceful music in its sound of distant drums.
Trust the shallow virgin stream
Danger wild, beware the deeper it becomes.
Moving highway, twisting byway
Can't turn back.
Singing in the summer rain
Rain that's caught in its flow.
Spreading, shining, silver lining
Gold on black.
Echoes moods of the moon and sun
Sun that shines from below.
Makes a soft and easy way
Left to choose its path will always be a friend.
Touch the last of what has past.
Never idle river drifting to the end.